In particular the present invention relates to a heating plate for a hair straightener, otherwise known as a hair styling iron. Hair straighteners conventionally include two articulated arms which are pivotally attached to each other at one end and to which one or more heating plates are attached at the other end. Where both arms have a heating plate they are generally positioned on inner opposed surfaces of the arms. The heating plates generally have hair contacting surfaces which are designed to come into contact with hair to be styled during use of the hair straighteners. Such a straightener can be seen in WO2014/056957.
Heating plates for hair straighteners are conventionally made from a solid metal, ceramic or a combination of the two. They are also often resiliently mounted to the arm of the hair straightener such that they can move up and down or rock slightly as hair is pressed between the two arms. These resilient mounts help to ensure that hair pressed between the heating plates isn't subjected to too much pressure. They can also help to ensure that the plates remain flat and parallel during use. An example of such a resilient mounting can be seen in EP2745728.
In order to reduce the damage to hair caused by over compression, hair straighteners have been described where the heating plate, or an opposed surface which contacts the heating plate is segmented to help it conform to the hair which is pressed between the arms of the straightener. Examples of such schemes are shown in EP2745728 and US2011/0083695. A problem does exist with such schemes however in that strands of hair can get trapped between the segments during use of the hair straightener.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved heating plate and hair straightener.